Hard Rock Rockford Closes Temporary Casino in Anticipation of Resort Opening

Posted on: August 13, 2024, 12:17h. 

Last updated on: August 13, 2024, 12:22h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More

Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

The doors have shut on Hard Rock Rockford’s temporary casino along N. Bell School Rd. The closing comes in anticipation of the opening of Hard Rock Casino Rockford’s permanent home about 2,000 feet east of where the provisional gaming space operated since November 2021.

Hard Rock International, the gaming and hospitality conglomerate owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, will open the permanent Hard Rock Rockford ahead of the Labor Day weekend on Thursday, August 29. The 175,000-square-foot casino will boast nearly 1,300 slot machines, 50 live dealer table games, a poker room, and a Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook.

Hard Rock Casino Rockford won’t have an on-site hotel but has several partnerships with the many hotels that are located near the casino. 

Sun Sets on Interim Casino

Hard Rock’s temporary casino in Rockford — billed as “A Hard Rock Opening Act” — was housed inside the former Giovanni’s Restaurant & Convention Center, which shuttered during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hard Rock’s 20,000-square-foot interim casino generated gross gaming revenue (GGR) of more than $43.3 million this year through July. The Bell School Road casino closed Monday, August 12. The casino reportedly paid over $91.2 million in jackpots.

Everybody’s a little bit sad — guests and team members all night have said, ‘Man, it’s sad,’ but at the same time, everybody is excited to get the new one up and running,” Hard Rock Casino Rockford President Geno Iafrate told Fox 39. “It’s all part of the process.”

The $310 million permanent casino broke ground in September 2022 after the pandemic pushed construction back.

Just under two years to build the big joint,” Iafrate added.

The “big joint” is located at 7801 E. State St., which is where the Clock Tower Resort stood from the late 1960s until it was demolished in April 2018.

Rock ‘N’ Roll-Themed Destination

Guitarist Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick fame was among the investors who bought the Clock Tower Resort and demolished it to possibly make way for a casino. Dan Fischer, the CEO of gambling chain Dotty’s, was also among the investment group.

The permanent casino features a 62-foot guitar honoring Nielsen. Cheap Tick hails from Rockford and is responsible for such classics as “Surrender,” “I Want You to Want Me,” and “The Flame.”

The owner of Giovanni’s Restaurant & Convention Center was part of the investor group, too, but the Illinois Gaming Board denied him a gaming license. The state agency determined that Joseph Castrogiovanni failed to disclose that he had been charged with misdemeanor reckless conduct in July 2020.

The incident stemmed from Castrogiovanni shooting at a vehicle that had driven onto his family’s property. He told police he had meant to fire a warning shot but one of the bullets hit the car with two occupants inside. In the wake of the development, the investor group bought out Castrogiovanni’s stake and acquired the building of his former restaurant.

The ownership group a year ago this month sold the forthcoming Hard Rock Casino Rockford to Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. for $100 million. GLPI, the real estate investment trust controlled by Penn Entertainment, will lease the property to Hard Rock.